A Texas state police officer said officers outside the Uwalde school, where a gunman killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers on Tuesday, were waiting for reinforcements to face the shooter for fear they “could be shot.”
Texas Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivares said in an interview with CNN on Thursday that the first few officers to enter Rob Elementary School after 18-year-old Rifleman Salvador Ramos were met with gunfire and withdrew to avoid shot and killed.
“At that moment, if they had pursued him further – without knowing where the suspect was – they could have been shot; they could be killed and at this point this armed man will have the opportunity to kill other people in this school, “Olivares told presenter Wolf Blitzer.
Local and state police in front of Rob Elementary School waited for a specialized tactical team of the U.S. Border Patrol to arrive and retrieve Ramos nearly an hour after he began his assassination.
Ramos had locked the door to the classroom, killing all 21 victims, and officers were unable to enter until a school official gave them the key, the Associated Press reported.
Ramos was killed by a specialized tactical team of the US Border Patrol about an hour after the start of his killing spree. AP / Dario Lopez-Mills Parents fervently begged staff to enter the school building and rescue the children before the tactical team arrived.REUTERS / Marco Bello Ramos killed 21 children and teachers before being stopped by law enforcement.AP / Jae C Hong
Olivares said police managed to detain the shooter in the classroom so that he would not be able to kill more people in the entire school building.
Dozens of parents arrived at the school while Ramos was still inside and asked police waiting outside to load the building.
Some parents offered to enter the school building on their own, videos from the scene show.
The last of the shootings at a school in Texas
One mother shouted at an officer, “Are you afraid of being shot?” I will enter without a vest – I will do it! ”
Another mother of two did just that. After breaking away from the crowd, she jumped the school fence, entered the building and ran away with her two children.
Add Comment